Stative Verbs With Action Meanings

Why "I think it is a good idea" but "I am thinking about dinner"

Level 3 — Grammar

State or Action?

A STATE is something that is true: an opinion, a feeling, a fact, or what you own. You do not "do" a state. It has no start and no finish.
STATE = simple present, even with now or at the moment.

An ACTION is something you do. It starts, it happens step by step, and it ends.
ACTION happening now = am / is / are + verb-ing.

I think it is a good idea. (my opinion = a state)

I am thinking about dinner. (my mind is working right now = an action)

We have a car. (we own it = a state)

We are having a break at the moment. (have = take, do; a break starts and ends = an action)

Same word, two jobs. The meaning decides the form, not the word.

The Swap Test

Quick check: Try to swap the verb for a state word such as believe or own. If the swap works, it is a state: use the simple present. If the swap does not work, it is probably an action happening now: use the present continuous.

I think the movie starts at eight. → I believe the movie starts at eight. ✓ State

I am thinking about my answer. → I believe about my answer. ✗ Action

They have a big garden. → They own a big garden. ✓ State

They are having a picnic. → They own a picnic. ✗ Action

Verbs that are almost always states: know believe want need prefer own belong understand mean

think and have

Verb	STATE (simple present)	ACTION (present continuous)
think	believe, have an opinion I think this street is dangerous.	use your mind, consider Be quiet. I am thinking!
have	own, possess Our school has a small library.	do an activity: have lunch, a shower, a party, a good time The kids are having a good time at the pool.

"I am having a car" is impossible: you cannot "do" owning. "I have lunch at the moment" is wrong too: eating is an action that starts and ends.

Exercise 1 — think or have?

Click a, b, c, or d. The correct button turns green; a wrong button turns red and the correct one is highlighted.

1. Can you be quiet for a second? I ____ hard about a math problem.

2. My uncle ____ a small boat on the lake.

3. Sorry, I can't hear you. We ____ a party, and the music is loud.

4. Nobody ____ the meeting will finish on time.

5. Tom ____ a shower at the moment, so he can't answer.

6. My parents ____ that the train is faster than the bus.

see, look, taste, smell, feel

Verb	STATE (simple present)	ACTION (present continuous)
see	understand, notice I see two birds on the roof.	meet, visit I am seeing my dentist on Friday.
look	seem, appear She looks happy today.	point your eyes at She is looking at the old photos.
taste	have a flavor The coffee tastes bitter.	test the flavor Ali is tasting the coffee.
smell	give off a smell The pizza smells delicious.	sniff on purpose The baker is smelling the flour.
feel	have a texture, seem Your hands feel cold.	touch on purpose The doctor is feeling my neck.

State meaning: the thing HAS a quality (it smells, it tastes, it feels). Action meaning: a person DOES something with a body part (a nose, a tongue, a hand, the eyes).

Exercise 2 — Sense Verbs

Say the simple present or present continuous form, then click to check.

1. This blanket ____ (feel) very warm.

feels — the blanket has a quality = a state.

2. The vet ____ (feel) the dog's leg to find the injury right now.

is feeling — touching on purpose = an action happening now.

3. Mmm, dinner ____ (smell) great! What is it?

smells — the food gives off a smell = a state.

4. Sara ____ (look) for her glasses at the moment.

is looking — look for = search = an action happening now.

5. The kids ____ (taste) the ice cream samples right now.

are tasting — testing the flavor = an action happening now.

6. Do you ____ (see) the difference between the two photos?

see — see = notice, understand = a state.

be and weigh

Verb	STATE (simple present)	ACTION (present continuous)
be	character, a fact Tom is a quiet boy.	behavior only right now Tom is being very loud today.
weigh	have a weight The box weighs three kilos.	measure the weight The post office worker is weighing my package.

Watch out: "is being" only works for BEHAVIOR (rude, loud, silly, helpful). Age, job, size, and nationality are facts: He is a nurse. Never He is being a nurse.

Exercise 3 — Correct the Verb

The CAPITALIZED verb is in the wrong form. Say the correct form, then click to check.

1. My neighbor IS BEING a nurse.

is — a job is a fact, not a behavior.

2. Hold still. The nurse WEIGHS the baby now.

is weighing — measuring the weight = an action happening now.

3. This watermelon IS WEIGHING five kilos.

weighs — having a weight = a state.

4. I AM KNOWING the answer to this puzzle.

know — know is always a state.

5. Look! The kids TASTE the cake mix.

are tasting — Look! = happening now; testing the flavor = an action.

6. We ARE HAVING a garage with two doors.

have — own = a state.

Exercise 4 — Mixed Practice

State or action? Click the correct form.

1. The manager ____ at my report right now.

2. These shoes ____ too tight.

3. Let me call you back. I ____ a bath.

4. Do you ____ what the teacher means?

5. My aunt ____ a new coffee shop downtown.

6. Elena ____ about a new apartment at the moment. She hasn't decided yet.

Summary

Question	STATE	ACTION
What is it?	an opinion, a feeling, a fact, what you own	something you do, step by step, with a start and an end
Which form?	simple present, even with now	am / is / are + verb-ing
Swap test	believe or own fits	the swap does not work
think	believe	use your mind
have	own	do an activity (lunch, a shower, a party)
see / look / taste / smell / feel	the thing has a quality	a person uses a body part on purpose
be	character, a fact	behavior only right now
weigh	has a weight	measures the weight

End of Deck — Great work!